Happy Birthday
by alwaysnathanhaley
Summary: It's Brooke's birthday and she could end up spending it alone.


Brooke erased all the other messages on her machine. They were all well wishes for her birthday, but not the one she was looking for. He said he would call, the minute midnight struck and a new day had begun. But when Brooke looked at her watch, sadly, it was almost two in the morning.

She watched Sam read all the birthday cards from the New York office and all over the world from the people who worked for Brooke. They had come early, over the weekend. But nothing really would mean anything without his phone call. They hadn't talked in months, but not even a phone call on her birthday really put a knife in the heart.

"Sam, I know you're tired, why not go to bed, I'll clean up."

"No, I'm wired from all that coffee I had today. Besides, I'm not letting you spend a birthday alone."

"Thanks, you're sweet, but really, it's late and I think I might go to bed."

"But we haven't played monopoly."

Brooke shook her head. "Monopoly?"

"Yeah, the game where you buy properties…"

"I know the game, but why Monopoly?"

"I remember when the adoption papers went through. You said that on your next birthday since mine is not for a another couple of months we would play monopoly until the sun came up and you would let me buy all the properties since in real life you do own them all."

"I don't remember saying it, but if you want to play, get out the game."

"Great!" Sam ran upstairs giving Brooke time to shed a few tears she had been holding back to be strong for Sam. "I'm back! Time to play!"

"Awesome, let's play on the table, better structure than the counter."

Sam saw Brooke's face out of the corner of her eye and faked a yawn. "You know Brooke, I am super tired, I guess it's a caffeine crash for me. Or do you want to stay up?"

"No, there's no point. He's not going to call and it's like past two in the morning. There's no use in waiting for a silent phone to ring."

"Okay, I'll be in my room googling really bad birthdays so, if you need me."

"Yeah, right, you'll be on some music site downloading the newest hit before everyone else."

"Ah, most likely. But I will be thinking of you."

"Do me a favor, if you find the song "Whatever It Takes" By Lifehouse…try and crash the site."Sam laughed. "Why?"

"Because Julian said that would be our wedding song, so burn the CD, torch the site, I don't care. I just don't ever wanna hear that song ever again."

"Sure. I will and I'll tell everyone to burn their Lifehouse CD's too."

"Thanks, we'll make a statement. That should be no one's wedding song."

"Brooke, can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure…anything?"

"Julian was a day late and never called last year on your birthday, what gives now?"

Brooke poured the wine in the sink from her glass. "Because Peyton told me that he told Lucas that tonight, on my birthday, he would propose. And since he's not here, I guess I have my answer."

"Wow, I didn't now…I'm sorry."

"Do me a favor, outside of Peyton and Haley, make sure no one knows. If anybody calls, tell them I'm a mute and refuse to talk. At least they might talk about something then."

"What if Julian calls."

Brooke had about a thousand things to tell Sam of what to say. "Tell him whatever you want, because right now, I'm through with any excuse he might have about why he can't pick up a phone…it's the cell phone age after all."

"Would you be mad if I wanted to talk to him."

"No, he didn't almost propose to you." Brooke slowly went to her room and even more quietly closed the door.

"Crap, why couldn't she slam it? Then I'd know she cared."

While Sam was cleaning up well after Brooke went to bed, she kept looking at the cell phone and house phone. Thinking it would ring and she could really let Julian have it for not calling or texting, emailing, some form of communication.

Alas….the phone rang.

"You selfish, inconsiderate…" Sam went on and on with words of hatred towards Julian.

"Wow, if that isn't teenage Brooke crawling into your body, I don't know what is."

"Hey Peyton…sorry, it's…"

"Julian strikes again?"

"Yeah."

"So is Mama Brooke wanna talk?"

"No, she went to bed. And worse, she never slammed the door."

"Ouch, that's rough. I'm twiddling my thumbs as to what I can do to pass the time. Lucas is dozed off asleep, go figure. And it's Brooke's birthday. Hey do know if her favorite store is still banana republic?"

"I think so…are you thinking of a high school prank to steal something only to pay for her earlier?"

"Yes…you have quite a memory."

"I guess, all the times of being pissed at Brooke, sitting in my room while she ranted to you about what I had done that day, I learned quite a bit about mommy."

"Okay, I know Brooke won't tell me, so I'll ask you. How is she doing?"

"Pretty bad. She tries to put it off as being a little hurt, but she's crushed. She told me that the long sorted details of he was gonna propose on her birthday."

"I know, now I wish I wouldn't have told her."

"She's better off knowing now and not a year from now and thinking that people did stuff for her because they felt sorry for her."

"I guess. Just don't tell her I called."

"Why?"

"She'll know I was checking up on her."

"Sure. And Peyton…thanks for calling. After finding out about the proposal, I needed someone to talk to…to."

"Sure, anytime. And if there's advice on getting over a broken heart by Julian Baker…I'm your girl."

"I think we're gonna lay low before doing the Broken Heart Publicity Tour."

"Alright, well, I'm kind of tired, get some rest…Brooke gets up mighty early to do anything to get over a broken heart."

"But it's almost three and she just went to bed."

"Trust me, Brooke's heart knows no sleep when it's broken."

"Night."

Over the next few days, Peyton's words were true. Every morning at five, they were out doing a morning jog and at the gym in the evening after dinner. It was wearing Sam down, but she wanted to be strong for Brooke.

That night Brooke got the salad out, had a big yawn and dropped the salad bowl on the floor.

"Damn!"

Sam ran out of her room. "What happened."

"Nothing, I just broke a really nice salad bowl."

"Hey, Brooke, instead of a really healthy meal we've had for the past two weeks, why not splurge and order in. Like Chinese. That's still healthy and less cooking required."

"No, I want to make you a dinner."

"Please, Brooke, I hate seeing you like this. Feeling like you have to be everything. Mom, cook, aerobics instructor."

"I'm just filling up my time."

"Until when? You meet a new guy who reminds you of Julian…you date for a while then you dump him for some lame reason because you don't want to let your heart go again."

"You little…"

"Save it! I'm not some whimpy little teenager who's gonna let you talk me out of what I really need to say. Or what the machine does."

"He hasn't called."

"Really, have you checked the messages or too busy putting yourself down for letting a guy into your life."

"I don't do that."

Sam grabbed Brooke's hand and dragged her to the bathroom. "I didn't write all this "I'm not good enough" or "I'm not pretty enough" stuff, you did. You are a great mom, you are good enough. I'd do anything to have just one part of you, you're beautiful. It's a shame you cover up the mirror so you can't see what I see everyday." Sam walked out of the bathroom. "And check the damn machine messages once in a while, maybe you might find what you're looking for." She slammed the door.

"At least she cares."

Brooke took a wash cloth and wiped the mirror off. For the first time in a week she saw the real picture. A tired, fragile girl who just wanted her boy…proposal or not. She took Sam's blatant advice and listened to the machine.

After forwarding through all the birthday wishes, she found one that started out silent.

_Hey…I don't have an excuse as to why I missed your birthday, as if I could make up anything that would case me to not call on your birthday. I didn't forget…I could never forget…but I did. And I'm sorry. The truth is…I didn't know what to say. I had everything planned out to be there for your birthday. The entire day, we would go to the beach…have a nice picnic…have dinner with Sam. The works, whatever you wanted, on your special day. But…_

The message ended.

"What!?" Brooke clicked the next message and breathed a sigh of relief.

_Sorry, I forget I'm talking to a machine and…whatever. I'll explain everything, when I get home. I love you and if you hate me, fine…I hate me too. But if things were different, I would be there. Goodbye._

Brooke checked her phone, no messages. She dialed his number.

"Hey, this is Julian Baker…" She pressed a button to skip the voicemail message.

_Hey, I got the machine message. I've been mad at you for a while, so I don't know when you called, so just…hurry home. Because I miss you, I love you and all this birthday stuff is making me crazy. I just want my boy back…_

She slid down the wall, holding her phone having no idea what to do. The boy she wished away was now the boy she was wishing for. She heard a key unlocking the door, Sam should be home now, she knew Brooke's cooling off period. She looked up, smiled.

She jumped up and hugged him. "I missed you."

"Me too…"

They stood there, in the doorway, hugging and kissing, unaware of Julian's bags falling to floor.

"Can you just never go to LA ever again."

"I can work something out…but first, I'm not really home yet."

Julian walked into their bedroom, Brooke had finished talking to Haley.

"Sam is okay. She got to Haley and Nathan's just fine. She's actually in a sleeping bag having a mini camp out with Jamie in the back yard."

"That does sound like fun."

"One day, with our kids we can camp out and be rugged."

"I look forward to that."

Brooke climbed into bed, ready to turn the light off.

"There's something I want to talk to you about."

"Oh, okay." She sat up, flattening the blanket in front of her.

"I haven't been in LA for the entire time that I said I was."

"Ooookay?" Brooke was watching his body language.

"The morning that I left the house, I went to see Peyton, and…"

"The day you leave your current girlfriend, you go to see your ex girlfriend who is now married to my ex boyfriend. And wow, is this a mixed up town or what?"

"I needed Peyton to help me pick out a birthday present for you."

"Oh, presents. I love presents."

Julian sat next to her under the covers.

"I had it made, that's why I was late coming back. Reason why I couldn't tell you, it would ruin the surprise."

Brooke nodded and smiled. "Okay." Julian handed her a small box, but too big for a ring. "Wow, nice wrapping."

"Peyton picked it out."

Brooke opened up the present. She took out the note.

_Peyton is your best friend so I know she probably told you about what was going to happen in about a minute or so. So, to no longer keep you in suspense, look over at dresser._

Brooke looked at Julian and then at the dresser.

There, the ring sat, like a light shining around it, according to Brooke…she got out of bed and picked it up. She looked at Julian, holding it her in hands.

"The whole, marry me part gets a bit old. I wanted to be creative." He got out of bed and stood in front of her. "So, now is a time where you say yes."

"Well since we're going so non traditional, wouldn't yes not be appropriate?"

"Sure, but what would you say?"

"I say…sure, why not!" She had a cute smile written all over her face…Julian kissed her.

They heard a squeal followed by a teenager jumping up and down in the hallway.

"Come on in Samson."

Julian slipped the ring on Brooke's finger, gave her a kiss before Sam came into the room.

"Oh we're so getting married….but I do not, no way am I wearing black as my brides maid dress…or red velvet."

"Okay, but why do you say that?"

"Okay, one fact. Haley had red…Nathan almost died trying to save his uncle Cooper. And two, Peyton had black…she almost died in childbirth. Weddings are cursed in this town."

"Cursed maybe…but everyone _does have the same dad."_

_Brooke laughed as Sam still had yet to figure out that one._


End file.
